Frequently Asked Questions

Being cooped up in the house all day can be hard on a dog. Too much laying around isn’t good for their health. Even with access to the backyard, they might not be as motivated to run around by themselves without encouragement.

While at doggie daycare, however, your dog will be actively played with. They can run around with other dogs, play fetch, and go on walks with staff. This will be beneficial for your dog’s physical health and emotional wellbeing.

Dogs left to their own devices with energy to burn might turn to digging up the yard or running circles in your grass. Daycare for your dog can help with that.

Besides exercise, staff at the Best Friends Fur Ever daycare can help reinforce good behavior by regularly training them to behave and heed commands. This will carry over into their behavior while they’re at home with you.

Your dog isn’t unlike a person in many ways, and while you’re at work full time during the day, your best friend misses you. They might spend hours waiting by the window or door for your arrival. There’s only so much a dog can do at home each day by themselves, day after day. Plus, when dogs get lonely and bored, they get anxious. As a result, they tend to turn to chewing on furniture or being destructive to pass the time.

At Best Friends Fur Ever dog daycare, your dog will have the chance to socialize with daycare workers and other dogs which will keep them from getting lonely.

Best Friends Fur Ever can accommodate all dogs that want to stay with us for the day or overnight vacations regardless of breed, size, age, temperament, or special needs.

If your pup prefers to play with humans rather than other dogs, our All Dogs Welcome Program is a perfect fit. We provide individual love, playtime, and snuggles to the pups in this program to ensure they have a great stay with us.

Best Friends Fur Ever specializes in caring for special needs guests, including geriatrics, post-surgical, and visually or physically impaired dogs.

Dog Daycare Daily Schedule

• 6:15 AM – 8:45 AM: Drop Off (Weekday)
  
• 7 AM – 8:45 AM: Drop Off (Weekend)
  
• 9 AM – 11:45 AM: Morning Play Rotation
• 12 PM – 2 PM: Mid-day snack, nap time
• 2 PM – 4:45 PM: Afternoon Play Rotation
• 5 PM – 6:30 PM: Pick up by owners

We also offer half-day daycare where your dog can participate in morning or afternoon play rotation.

Early Drop-off and Late Pick-up Services

• Early drop-offs are available by appointment only at 4:45 AM prompt (additional charges apply).
• Late pick-ups are available by appointment only between 9 – 9:30 PM and 11 – 11:30 PM (additional charges apply).

Pick-up or drop-off outside our designated hours without an appointment will incur an additional fee.

We have designated Daycare and Boarding areas for our special needs and elderly guests. Our Assisted Canine Care (ACC) pets enjoy a calm environment with extra bedding, soft music by Zoundz Music for Pets, and a spacious crate-free area. A full-time attendant is assigned to our ACC pets to ensure they are comfortable, less stressed, and that all their needs are being met. We do our best to follow the same routine as you do in your home or as your veterinarian prescribes. Our staff is trained to give any type of medicine, including insulin, and can cater to any type of special diet.

Assisted Canine CareSM is available at both Joppa & Cockeysville locations.

All our guests are required to wear breakaway collars, which are specially designed to release in case a dog were to accidentally become stuck on someone or something. The most common scenario would be a dog accidentally getting its tooth or paw stuck on a playmate’s collar. In this sort of situation, the collar will break away, reducing the risk of injury. Because of this feature, we do not recommend using a leash with a breakaway collar. Please walk your dog into our resorts on an appropriate leash and collar.

Yes. Crates provide a safe and secure environment for dogs, preventing injuries and accidents, especially during rest times.

Dogs need periods of rest throughout the day. Crates offer a quiet, comfortable space for them to relax away from the excitement of the play areas, as well as give dogs a personal space where they can retreat if they feel overwhelmed or need a break from social interactions.

If your dog is not a fan of crates, ask us about our alternate accommodations.

If you did not bring food for your dog, we will supply Beaver Dam Skipper’s Choice kibble for the selected meals at $2.00 per meal.

The most important thing to look for when deciding on a boarding or daycare facility is that a dog can relieve themself when they need to and not have to wait to be walked. It costs twice as much to build a facility that allows dogs the freedom to go outside when they need to – which is why most places don’t do it. Best Friends Fur Ever, however, takes great pride in allowing dogs the freedom to go as they please. Dogs waiting to be walked depends on staff remembering to walk them and walking them frequently enough, if at all. Staff usually leave at 5pm and don’t return until the next morning. It could be 15 hours or more before the dog’s next time leaving their kennel! That’s way too long to wait, not healthy, and miserable for the dog. Many dogs also won’t eliminate while on a leash. Not being able to eliminate when needed can cause UTI’s, constipation, diarrhea, and discomfort. Some facilities don’t even walk their dogs; they just expect them to eliminate in their kennels. If the only option available is for a dog to eliminate while indoors, it could lead to them thinking it’s acceptable to go to the bathroom inside your home. Poor dogs, trying to hold it until they practically explode. No matter how cute it’s decorated, it’s still a miserable cell if you can’t relieve yourself when you need to. Luckily, Best Friends Fur Ever has facilities that were designed with a dog’s comfort, health, and safety as the top priorities.

Yes. Our resorts have 24-hour on-site staff with around the clock care 365 days a year.

Our Overnight Manager keeps a watchful eye on all our guests and on-site staff are always available for any dogs with special needs during their sleepover.

We offer breakfast, dinner, and lunch (by request) for all overnight guests.

Our nutritious, tasty, high-quality chicken and rice-based meals are from Beaverdam and Verus Pet Foods. Beaverdam and Verus Pet Foods contain no by-products, corn, wheat or gluten, artificial colors, or flavors.

We can also accommodate any special dietary needs, too! You are welcome to bring your preferred dog food from home. If you choose to bring your own food, please provide individual baggies or containers separated out per meal. Due to limited storage space, we cannot accept full bags/boxes of kibble or other types of food.

Yes. We offer a variety of one-on-one sessions and enrichment activities designed to keep your dog engaged, active and mentally sharp during their stay.

For a small fee, you can schedule multiple one-on-one and enrichment sessions for your dog during their stay.

One-on-one sessions include:

• Treadmill
• Tug-o-war
• Snuggle time
• Walk/Field time
• Catch
• Belly rubs

Enrichment sessions include:

• Puzzle
• Snuffle mat/ball
• Lick mat
• Kong treat
• Treat maze

The All Pet Credit program allows your pets to get the care they need, when they need it, while freeing you to pay over time.

There is no interest if paid in full within 6 months on purchases of $250 or more.

Our facilities are climate-controlled at 72° F year-round, and all dogs are provided with a thick, cozy blanket to ensure a wonderful night’s sleep.

When storms are in the area, we shift to indoor play for play rotations. Sounds or other comforting music is played in throughout the resort to calm dogs during what can be as stressful time for some, and we have backup generators so that our guests’ comfort and routine are never impacted by weather.

Our 24-hour on-site staff is also there to provide comfort to your dog in the event of a storm.

Yes, we accept all the above. Our resorts offer special overnight boarding for dogs with special needs and geriatric dogs. We can also accommodate medication administration, including insulin injections, at the prescribed dosage intervals.

If your dog is jumping and showing signs of aggression, stop reading this now and contact a qualified canine behaviorist. This is a potentially dangerous situation and requires professional attention.

However, it is far, far more likely that your dog is attention-seeking and/or excited. In these situations, there are two main approaches to stopping dogs from jumping up. It is vitally important to remember that neither of them involves punishment. Punishing your dog for jumping will, at best, confuse them; and at worst result in a frightened and potentially aggressive dog – this is a recipe for disaster.

The first method is to divert the jumping behavior into something more appropriate – usually a “sit” command. As the dog gets more and more excited and bouncy, you tell them to sit – and then reward them when they do, with fuss and/or a treat. This way, the dog gets some attention and learns that “sit” is appropriate, but “jump” isn’t. Meanwhile, you can continue to greet and chat to your guests, while your dog sits obediently at your feet…

It sounds great, but it does take some work and practice! Ideally, invite some friends who can regularly visit, and who understand the training you’re doing; they can visit (and even come in/go out/come back in repeatedly while you train your dog).

The other thing you can do (and this is useful on its own or in conjunction with “sit” training) is to completely ignore your dog whenever they jump. You do, however, reward them when their front feet are on the floor. This way, you are teaching them that jumping does NOT result in attention but standing on all fours does. Again, having “mock-visitors” will help reinforce the fact that what you’re teaching them is universal – it doesn’t go out of the window when new and exciting people are around!

Of course, if you’d like to seek out professional assistance from our talented staff, try checking out our balanced training programs here at Best Friends Fur Ever!

Often, there is a frustrating process of training and teaching dogs manners and good behaviors. The training problem though is that owners sometimes forget about one of the main reasons that any human or dog will do as instructed or behave in a positive way which is pure motivation. Example; just like when you need some motivation to start exercising more or to get your house cleaned out, dogs need motivating reasons big enough to make them want to stop wetting on your carpet or eating holes into all of your socks. Dog treats can be a sure way to motivate your precious pup to do almost anything you desire. In addition to treats, high praise can be a great motivator for your pup.

No matter their level of skill, our Dogversity has a plan for your pooch so you can feel confident about their dog training. We understand that every dog is unique, so we have designed our programs to not be “one size fits all.” Our professional dog trainers have years of experience and are ready to work with you and your furry family member to achieve your goals in their dog training.

Which program is right for you and your dog? Click through the below or schedule an evaluation.

• Novice Program: Best suited for dogs who need a foundation in obedience and/or help with puppy behaviors.
• Honors Program: Dogs who need obedience training and/or help with building good social behaviors.
• Elite Program: Dogs who have reactivity and/or want to train with an e-collar.
• Train-n-Stay: Offers specialized training to our boarding guests.
• Train-n-Play: Offers specialized training to our daycare guests.
• Tutor Sessions: One-on-one training with a dog and their pet parent(s).

We are Balanced Dog Trainers, meaning we use a variety of training techniques to address different aspects of your dog’s behavior. During dog training, as we introduce a dog to a new command, skill, or other desirable behavior, we use positive reinforcement (treats, praise, etc.) to encourage them to repeat those behaviors. Once we know a dog fully understands what we’re asking of them, we continue to use positive reinforcement to reward them when they follow through with their newly learned skills, as well as several different techniques to discourage unwanted behaviors and keep them on the right track. We’re unique in the fact that our programs are not “one size fits all” – we do not decide what commands or tools a dog will need. Instead, our programs are customizable to meet a pet parent’s unique dog training goals.

Breeds like Poodles, Bichon Frises and Maltese can experience tear duct obstruction or have abnormal eyelid structure. Because of this, tears spill out onto the fur along the side of the nose. Plus, hairs and other irritants rubbing against the eye can increase tear production. Moisture on the fur of the dog’s face fosters the growth of bacteria and can cause rusty stains to appear. If the dog is white, those stains are even more obvious. At Best Friends Fur Ever, we use gentle shampoos and products to remove the stains and reveal your dog’s beautiful fur. Regular grooming with us will dramatically help, however, you should talk to your veterinarian if this is a recurring problem with your dog.

Your pup may be anxious at the groomer’s because he’s not used to being handled in sensitive areas like the muzzle, eyes, ears, paws, tail and groin. To help ease the stress of being groomed, you can say a cue like “ears” when you touch his ears and then immediately giving him a treat or reward, so he associates being touched with a positive experience. At Best Friends Fur Ever, our professional groomers are patient and loving towards every dog we have the pleasure of grooming. Adding enrichment or daycare to a grooming reservation also associates a positive experience with grooming and therefore less anxiety.

Yes. Your dog can also receive a spa day at our grooming salon, so they return home looking and smelling great after a fun vacation at BFFE.

Premium Bath starts at $50.00, but the price varies based on size, coat condition & length, matting, temperament, etc. Premium bath includes nail trim and ear cleaning.

Add-on services (can be purchased with or without a bath, include):

• Healthy Skin & Coat Treatment** (added onto a premium bath only)
  $15.00 and up
• Shed Control Treatment** (added onto a premium bath only)
  $15.00 and up
• Nail Filing (note: filing makes nails more smooth and rounded)
  $20.00 (or $8.00 w/ a premium bath)
• Fresh Breath Treatment – $8.00
• Brush Out – $15.00
• Ear Cleaning – $15.00

It’s important to get young puppies acquainted with the grooming process to ensure they become comfortable with it at an early age. If you have a puppy under five months old, our Puppy Package is for you! This package includes a bath, blow dry, brush out, nail trim, ear cleaning, and a light trim (face, paws, sanitary trim) if needed.

• Canine influenza – we highly recommend getting your dog vaccinated using the Nobivac NXT vaccine
• Rabies
• Canine distemper
• Canine parvovirus
• Leptospirosis – 4 serovars (Canicola, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Grippotyphosa, Pomona)
• CIRDC pathogens (Canine parainfluenza, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Canine adenovirus) using a mucosal vaccine that is oral or intranasal.  We highly recommend the Nobivac Intra-trak 3 vaccine

Just as human colds may be caused by many different viruses, canine cough itself can have multiple causes. One of the most common culprits is a bacterium called Bordetella bronchiseptica – which is why canine cough is often called Bordetella. Most dogs that become infected with Bordetella are infected with a virus at the same time. These viruses, which are known to make dogs more susceptible to contracting Bordetella infection, include canine adenovirus, canine distemper virus, canine herpes virus, parainfluenza virus and canine reovirus. Dogs “catch” canine cough when they inhale bacteria or virus particles into their respiratory tract. This tract is normally lined with a coating of mucus that traps infectious particles, but there are a number of factors that can weaken this protection and make dogs prone to canine cough infection, which results in inflammation of the larynx (voice box) and trachea (windpipe).

At BFFE, safety is our number one priority. We actively work to prevent any scuffles by having our highly trained handlers thoroughly vet all dogs and sort them into play groups based on their size, temperament, age, and special needs every day.

Our rotational play groups are organized into shifts to eliminate overstimulation and ensure that all dogs have time to decompress in between group play throughout the day.

Our handlers are experts in dog behavior and are required to report via walkie talkie any behavior that may be disrupting the harmony of group play and require de-escalation.

Despite our team’s prevention methods and vigilance, sometimes scuffles are inevitable – think two kids having a loud, verbal disagreement.

Our first step is to quickly control and separate the disagreeing dogs with a slip lead leash and check for injuries. The second step is to calm the dogs by having them follow a series of obedience commands. Our staff may choose to separate a dog, removing them from the group play rotation, or put them in one-on-one care for the remainder of the day. If your dog is involved in an incident, you will be notified, and a behavior report will be sent.

As partners in your dog’s care, we believe that communication and transparency are key to ensuring the safety of all dogs and team members, while having fun and enjoying social play.

Our resorts offer PetAirapy Air purification systems, exclusively designed to help protect against airborne germs and allergens. PetAirapy safely cleans the air without using harsh chemicals to help protect against contagious diseases such as Canine Influenza.

Additionally, our onsite staff disinfects shared and personal areas at least twice a day using pet safe cleaning supplies.

It is important to address stress colitis, or any type of diarrhea or vomiting, quickly and before it has time to escalate to more severe issues.

In the event of stress colitis – diarrhea two times or more – BFFE offers guests FullBucket Probiotic Paste to ease symptoms with a signature from the pet parent.

BFFE has a strict Contagious Illness Policy. If a dog appears to be sick with a contagious illness, they will be isolated, and you will be contacted to pick them up to continue care at home.

They cannot return to Best Friends Fur Ever until they have been examined by a licensed veterinarian and deemed to not be contagious to other dogs.

Best Friends fur Ever’s Pet Care Agreement asks for pet parents to provide one or more emergency contacts in the area that are authorized to pick up and
keep your pet, as well as make decisions for your pet should you not be able to be reached or are unable to pick up.

Best Friends Fur Ever is proud to partner with nationally recognized veterinary specialist Dr. Jen Chatfield on implementing her acclaimed Healthy Pet-keeping Seal program into our facilities.

Earning the Healthy Pet-keeping Seal means that a board-certified vet has reviewed our procedures and protocols to ensure they demonstrate a science-based approach to safeguarding the health of every pet in our care.

Learn more, here: https://www.bestfriendsfurever.com/dr-jen/

The number of meals a dog eats per day depends completely on the family schedule. Dogs should eat at least two meals each day, about 12 hours apart. But a breakfast, lunch, and dinner schedule is an equally great option. If more than 12 hours elapses between meals, the stomach can become hyperacidic causing nausea.

1. Chocolate (any form): contains theobromine and caffeine and may cause dehydration, abdominal pain, muscle tremors, vomiting, seizures and in most extreme cases, death.
2. Dairy Products (Milk, Cheese, Butter etc.): Dogs don’t have the necessary enzymes to break down the fat and sugar contained in milk and may cause diarrhea, gas and/or vomiting. Dogs may be susceptible to bacterial disease.
3. Onions: The sulfur and other compounds within onions may damage red blood cells making your dog appear lethargic and weak.
4. Grapes and Raisins: may cause vomiting, diarrhea and worse, death from kidney failure
5. Avocado: contains a toxin called Persin which may cause breathing difficulties, upset stomach, and if the pit is swallowed may lead to an obstruction in their intestines costing you major vet bills.
6. Bacon: believe it or not, this uber-tasty treat is seriously loaded with fat which could lead to pancreatitis in some dogs. Consider this when giving your dog any animal fats like gristle.
7. Caffeine (Coffee, Teas): contains a stimulant called Methylated Xanthine and can cause vomiting, heart palpitation and even death in some dogs.
8. Bread Dough: may cause extreme gas within a dog’s stomach and intestines. The yeast is still fermenting and may cause vomiting and potentially a ruptured stomach or intestines.
9. Fruit Cores (Apples, Plums, Peaches, Pears, Apricots, etc.): these fruit cores contain seeds that have a Cyanide compound to them. May cause seizures, struggle to breathe, shock and even coma in some dogs.
10. Garlic: is more dangerous than onions as it’s more concentrated and has the same effect as onions. Worst case a blood transfusion may be necessary to save your dog’s life.

Not every dog needs probiotics, but they can benefit from the supplement. If your dog is facing some stomach issues like constant diarrhea or constipation, then your vet may recommend a higher dosage of the supplement. Keep in mind that giving your dog probiotics will not truly correct the issue.